It’s not easy to tell if a person has a problem with gambling as we may not want to believe that someone we know or love finds themselves in such a difficult position.

It can also be difficult to detect a gambling problem, because many people who gamble do not show their feelings and may lie or get angry if questioned about their behaviour.

But more often than not the signs are there, so here are just five things which may lead you to believe that someone you know has a problem with gambling.

1. They chase their losses

The ability to place a bet on a number of mobile devices has obviously seen gambling activity rise over the years but just because it’s easier to place a bet, that doesn’t necessarily mean that players should be betting more than they normally would.

So if a player needs to increase their activity by placing more bets in order to try and win back money which has previously been lost then they may have a problem which needs addressing before it’s too late.

2. They Spend too long on gaming sites

Online and mobile gaming platforms offer players a huge amount of freedom when it comes to what and when they wish to place a bet, rather than being restricted to the opening hours of High Street shops, though with this greater flexibility comes increased risk.

Have you noticed a player spending all their free time playing casino games, or maybe they have played into the night and started again first thing in the morning? If that is the case they might be using gambling as a form of escapism from day to day life.

3. They utilise free bets

Promotional bets and free credit are a useful way to introduce players to the joys of using gambling platforms, allowing those who might not normally place a bet to experience what online gaming is all about.

But these offers shouldn’t be treated merely as a free loan which can be used when an account is low on funds, and someone requesting free bets, free spins and goodwill gestures might just be a sign that they still feel the need to gamble despite not having the money.

4. They bet on anything

Do you know a player who will place bet based on market knowledge or do they bet in play on a variety of sports some of which would be difficult to have an educated grasp on?

Someone who bets only on weekend Premier League games is usually doing so from an educated standpoint by using their knowledge of the league, but betting on sports they have never talked about or shown an interest in before might just be the first signs that they are unable to stop.

5. They bet more than they can afford to lose

We see players coming through to support asking for a refund, claiming they have spent too much time on the site have lost money which was being used to pay rent and bills.

This can also happen when players have withdrawn money and they need the money back quickly to cover their committed outgoings.

What we do to tackle the problem

We know there is no easy fix to a problem which can affect pretty much anyone, but as a company who places great emphasis on responsible gambling, we believe it is our duty to help and educate customers where necessary, while also doing everything we can to ensure we are providing an ethical service and education where and where it is needed.

Constant Monitoring

We monitor accounts who frequently, like whether there has been a change in behaviour or if they chasing losses, if so we send them an email which they are required to respond to where we ask them questions about their gambling.

Regular Reviews

We also carry out regular account reviews, looking closely at a player’s betting activity and whether they are betting pre-match or are they betting in play on a variety of markets suggesting they simply just want to get a bet on regardless of what sport they are watching.

Customer Support

Customer support create cases based on the chats they have and emails they receive and if a player is abusing staff, asking for bonuses we look at their account see why this might be the case.

Pragmatic Approach

Some people are used to a system whereby betting companies will just hand out free bets to customers who have lost money, but we take a more pragmatic approach where responsible gambling is considered in all decisions; this will include future VIPs who will go through a thorough responsible gambling check prior to being treated as a VIP.

Ongoing Help

We regularly send emails  with links to a host of gambling help sites and agencies, while also directing players to the limits and tools we have available.

The variety of tools we offer are not mandatory and, in fact, go way above what is expected and offer these safety nets to ensure players have every opportunity to bet with us responsibly.

How we can help

If a player has or wants to report someone who has a gambling problem they can;

Email us on Support@fansbet.com and we can talk through the situation with them in strict confidence.

We also encourage players to reach out through our Live Chat option which can be accessed via our website.

We then look into these individual cases and can provide players with a wealth of information and links on some great support agencies out there for helping people who may be struggling.

Follow FansBet on Twitter